Monday’s Music Moves Me: Your Men’s Names Songs

I didn’t think we’d have enough suggestions, but this week you came up with ten song suggestions, one band suggestion, and I came up with a song for that band and one additional song that was suggested by an artist you named, so we have twelve big songs here for this week. Albums didn’t have that many songs in the old days, so you got a lot of music here.

ABBA, “Chiquitita” Not sure if Chiquitita is a man’s name, but I’ll take Birgit’s word for it.

Elton John, “Daniel”Dan said it was probably self-serving, but it was a classic by Sir Elton.

Elton John, “Levon” Dan’s suggestion brought this one to mind. As I pointed out a while back, “Levon” is “Novel” spelled backward, but really, it’s a great song. I did “Bennie and the Jets” last week for Two for Tuesday, but that’s another one.

Johnny Cash, “A Boy Named Sue” Uncle Jack came up with this, and I thought it was perfect. The first time I heard it, hearing the 1000 Hz tone that blotted out the (for 1968) mild profanity made me just about jump out of my skin. Now the term “son of a bitch” (Shel Silverstein’s original words) is no big deal. Maybe it should be, I don’t know.

Dion, “Abraham, Martin, and John”Janet thought of the next three. This came out in 1968, shortly after Bobby Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King were assassinated, and I still get a lump in my throat when I hear it. Particularly now.

Toni Basil, “Mickey” Janet also thought of this, and yes, it’s annoying, but it really sold a lot of records, reaching #1 worldwide in 1982. The song was written as “Kitty” by the Australian songwriting team of Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn, sort of the Scott Aitken Waterman of the Seventies, and Ms. Basil changed it so she could sing it.

Genesis, “Jesus He Knows Me” From the band’s 1991 album We Can’t Dance, it’s a satirical piece that was inspired by the financial hijinks of televangelists such as Jim Bakker, Robert Tilton, and Jimmy Swaggart. This is the uncensored version, so careful playing it at work or when the kiddies are listening.

The Beatles, “Hey Jude”Joey suggested this, and though it was probably my least favorite Beatles song (though it’s okay up until the nah-nah-nahs) it was probably their biggest hit, certainly one of their last. The flip side was the rocker “Revolution.”

Paul Revere & The Raiders, “Louie, Louie” Joey mentioned Paul Revere in ther comment, and I couldn’t find a song named that anywhere, so I improvised, assuming she meant Paul Revere the musician. It’s not clear whether The Kingsmen or Paul Revere & The Raiders recorded “Louie, Louie” first, but both bands recorded it in the same studio in Oregon.

Herman’s Hermits, “I’m Henry the Eighth, I Am” Suggested by Mary B, this evidently was an old English music hall song, written by Fred Murray and R. P. Weston in 1910 and originally popularized by Harry Champion. When Herman and the boys recorded it in 1965, it became the fastest-selling record in history.

Jimmy Dean, “Big Bad John” Another of those songs I heard a lot when I was a kid, also suggested by Mary. Jimmy’s probably better known for pork sausage now, but he was a hell of a singer in his day.

Murray McLauchlan, “Me and Joey”Arlee gave us this one. Murray was born in Scotland and emigrated to Canada when he was five, living in a suburb of Toronto. He plays guitar, piano, and harmonica, and was the second singer-songwriter on True North Records, the first being Bruce Cockburn.

And that about wraps it up. That’s Monday’s Music Moves Me for August 21, 2017.

Monday’s Music Moves Me is sponsored by X-Mas Dolly, Callie, Cathy, and Stacy, so be sure and visit them, where you can also find the Linky for the other participants.

44 thoughts on “Monday’s Music Moves Me: Your Men’s Names Songs”

Let’s just say that, in Sweden, it’s a rainbow name…hahahahaaa. Thank you so much for picking this one and I listened to it and it made me feel good! Love all the other suggestions and it just shows how many men’s names are in songs. I wonder……if there is a song with my name in the title. If you find a song…obviously Swedish or German, I’ll buy you lunch!

That song does have the ability to get into your head and refuse to come out. It was a fun song, though, and always fun to see Peter Noone in his Herman’s Hermits days. I think he and Davy Jones fom The Monkees both had a background in musical theater in the West End…

I know, I thought the same thing re Chiquitita, and gave it a listen to see if there was any reason not to put it in. The lyrics are kind of gender-neutral, so I let it pass.

There are far more songs with women’s names in the title, which would figure since most songwriters are men, but there are nonetheless quite a few with men’s names. It’s always fun to see what I can come up with given a restriction, and it’s surprising and edifying that everyone else can come up with more.

I never liked A Boy Named Sue. I’ll have to listen to your version of Jesus He Knows Me because I don’t remember any bad words. Thanks for the background info on the songs. It is interesting to find some new trivia! Happy Monday, John.

I finally thought of a song no one else has mentioned (at least I don’t think anyone mentioned it): Billy, don’t be a hero, don’t be a fool with your life. Billy, don’t be a hero, come back and make me your wife.

I assume the title is Billy Don’t Be A Hero, but I don’t remember. I also never claimed that it was a good song.

That’s why I’ve been building playlists. Not just because they load faster and don’t tie things up in your browser but because I think readers want to listen to them while they’re doing other things. Plus, then I have the playlists to play when I’m in the mood…

Hi John,
Great list. We had some of the same (good) songs, but there are also a few here that I never heard before. Genesis’ “Jesus, He Knows Me” is a neat song. I love Genesis. I’ve loved them since their Trick of the Tail album (Ripples and Squonk were my favs from that album).
I forgot about “Big, Bad John” — that’s a fun song. It brings back memories from my childhood. My Dad liked this song.
Me & Joey and Murray McLauchlan are new to me.

Thanks for a great playlist to hang out with while I’m working today…
Have a good week.

Way ta go John! You surely used your “FREEBIE” this week didn’t you! What a fabulous selection. Pick & choose, choose & pick!!! WOO HOO Which one is next says me??? WOO HOO Thanks my rock & roll buddy! Have a rockin’ week! By the way, I liked the story for a Man named Sue… the ending is hysterical… makes me laugh every time. Johnny Cash had a hold of his audience in every tune he did! Rest his soul!!!

I swear, Hey Jude was every other song played at the 9th grade dances. Joey’s wonderful, but if I never heard that song again, I’d be fine. Can I substitute “Rocky Raccoon?” – It’s also a good “Dan” song.

In honor of Tex, bad bad Leroy Brown, Mack the Knife, and you don’t mess around with Jim. For myself, Captain Jim’s Drunken Lament, Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner, and the man in the continental suit.

I thought to go with one of Jim’s lesser-known masterpieces. “Mack The Knife,” for sure, though I’d be tempted to use Lotte Lenya’s version (“Moritat von Mackie Messer”). Of course, his favorite was The Dick Hyman Trio’s version…

Ah! Paul Revere and the Raiders. They were my favorite American band. Used to see them at Lagoon every summer (the amusement park by our house). Was in love with later member Jim Valley! I know. everyone else loved Mark Lindsay. LOL

I remembered his show, but not his name a few years ago and went digging. I enjoyed it; it was on after “The Match Game,” another favorite (the old one on NBC). Back in the days when the only daytime talk show was Virginia Graham and the news hour was from 6 to 7, PERIOD.

I can appreciate Joni better now than in her heyday in the Sixties and Seventies. She has a unique approach to playing the guitar and doesn’t just stick to the “lone girl on the stage with a guitar” type of music. She throws in a lot of jazz and R&B, and the result is pretty amazing. She’s had some pretty serious issues with her throat the last couple of years, so who knows what we’ll hear from her in the future…?

DH & I saw the total solar eclipse yesterday which was an awesome, amazing experience! I am now ready to make my rounds on the dance floor today. 🙂

Songfacts said about Chiquitita that is was originally titled “In The Arms Of Rozellita”. Rozellita sounds like a girl’s name to me. Maybe the original intent was about a girl, but Sweden is pretty far to the left on social issues so it’s easy to buy into the idea that Chiquitita referring to a homosexual. I don’t like using the term “gay”. Heterosexual men are happy people, too. So that doesn’t make any sense to me. “Daniel” has always been a favorite Elton John song but it always makes me a little sad. Phil Collins reminds me a lot of Robin Williams posing as a preacher. I saw “Jesus He Knows Me” floating around last week and that was first-time for me to hear the song or at least I think. The lyrics speak a lot of truth about some TV evangelists, sadly. Of course, it’s up to the individual to not place their trust in man BUT the Lord and to separate truth from lies. Your viewers shared some fantastic “male name song titles” and I love that you pulled them all together in a playlist. You’re right, having your song featured in a playlist allows me to read your content or open another tab to surf the web or to take care of some chores. I started using playlists more on my site after getting the idea from Jingle, Jangle, Jungle (Mary) or it could’ve been one or two other BoTBers who inspired me to do the same. BTW, I always like the Smothers Brothers TV variety show. What fun entertainers they were! Thanks for hitting the dance floor, my friend.